Valentine Dinner

The following few recipes will give you enough info for a romantic lasagna dinner. Starting with a salad and ending with strawberry trifle or cherry cheesecake.  Use your imagination for the table setting.  Remember, presentation is important.  The eye sees it and then the heart warms to it.  So if you can’t make it look like the picture, don’t worry about it.  Pay more attention to how its presented.  A pretty table setting,  salad served in an unusual bowl or on a plate separately from the main course, lasagna served individually in a special plate or shallow bowl, dessert in glasses you normally might reserve for fancy cocktails or maybe you never use them….. get the idea?  Use your imagination.  Candlelight lends to a romantic ambience, and allows for less than perfect food to look great!! Don’t worry, it will taste wonderful too.

My Cherry Cheesecake “Secret recipe”

This “secret” recipe is so easy, you won’t believe how good it is.  You can use a store bought graham cracker crust or use my recipe.

1 graham cracker crust.  if you are making mine, its easy.  about 2 cups graham cracker crumbs.  1tsp. cinamon. (or just crush cinnamon graham crackers) 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 stick real butter melted and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.  mix and press into pie pan. bake for 10 min in 375 degree oven. crust must be completely cooled before filling.

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened * 1 box french vanilla ( or cheesecake flavor)  instant pudding mix, 1 cup milk, 1 8 oz container french vanilla cool whip, 1 can your favorite cherry pie filling.

Whip softened  cream cheese til smooth and creamy.  Reduce speed of mixer to low adding milk slowly, alternating with dry pudding mix til both are added.  Continue beating til thick and creamy.  ( another minute or two)  now fold in 1/2 container french vanilla cool whip.  Once blended, pour into graham cracker crust.  The pudding mixture will be thick.  Refrigerate for at least an hour.  Just before serving,  top with the rest of the cool whip, then spoon the can of cherry pie filling evenly over the top.

Another option,  just after removing from refrigerator,   cut the cheesecake  into individual pieces, and place each  on a dessert plate.  Remember to top with cool whip and  spoon pie filling over each piece for a more formal affect.